Generally, the invention relates to controls. Particularly, the invention relates to a pivoting handle and control arrangement for a floor care appliance such as a vacuum cleaner.
The use of pivoting handles in floor care appliances such as upright vacuum cleaners is old and well known in the art. An example of such an arrangement can be found in Japanese Publication No. 06245889. However, no provision is made in such a pivoting handle arrangement for remotely triggering a switch or other device located in the lower part of the housing. Such a switch could be utilized for controlling a feature of the floor care appliance such as a surge control for a vacuum cleaner""s suction motor. The instant invention is a trigger or button positioned on the handle operatively connected to an actuator rod traversing the interior of the handle. The distal end of the actuator rod is normally in operative engagement with a switch in the lower housing when the handle is in the upright position. When the trigger is depressed, the actuator rod depresses the switch causing it to close thereby energizing an associated feature. When the handle is moved to the folded position, the actuator rod is folded with the handle and moved away from the switch. These and other objectives will be readily apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In carrying out the invention in one aspect thereof, these objectives and advantages are obtained by providing a machine including a floor care appliance having a pivoting handle and control arrangement. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an actuator rod in the handle is utilized for remotely triggering a switch located in the lower part of the housing. The switch could be utilized for controlling a feature of the floor care appliance such as a surge control for a vacuum cleaner""s suction motor. A button or trigger positioned on the handle is operatively connected to an actuator rod traversing the interior of the handle. The distal end of the actuator rod is in operative engagement with the switch when the handle is in the upright position. When the button or trigger is depressed, the actuator rod depresses the switch causing it to close. The feature controlled is thereby energized. When released, the switch is opened. When the handle is moved to the folded position, the actuator rod is folded with the handle and moved away from the switch.